The invention relates to improvements in a thermal barrier device for reducing heat transfer to and from the exposed surface of an ice rink, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,802--Burley, Issued Aug. 4, 1981. The improved thermal barrier device disclosed herein allows guiding of a heat insulative vapor barrier onto and off of an exposed winter sport surface by a single operator having remote, radio control over the drive for a reeling and unreeling mechanism of the thermal barrier device.
The above cross-referenced prior art relates to covers for sports surfaces and to methods and apparatus for deploying and harvesting such surfaces. Of these, U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,387 discloses a translucent ground protection cover for a golf course; U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,575 discloses a floating, thermal insulative swimming pool cover; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,713 discloses a ceiling structure utilized with an indoor or outdoor ice rink to reduce the heat load on the ice surface. However, the prior art most pertinent to the instant application is that of U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,802, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,802 discloses a thermal insulative cover for an ice rink and motor driven reel for use in deploying and harvesting the cover. The cover is folded in half lengthwise and wound upon a reel so that, after deployment of the folded cover onto the ice surface, the cover may be unfolded to cover approximately one-half (1/2) of a nominally 17,000 square foot ice rink. In order to deploy and harvest the folded cover, reel connectors are disclosed as provided substantially mid-length of the cover so that opposite ends of the cover are deployable and harvestable simultaneously during the unwinding and winding of the reel.
In attempting to implement the method and apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,802, it was found that the weight of the insulative material, which readily submits to the friction-free ice surface and subordinates itself almost completely on the ice during winding and unwinding in the folded condition, becomes prohibitive when attempting to lift it during folding and unfolding. In fact, three men tried in vain to fold a cover during harvesting, evidencing the failings and impracticalities of such an arrangement. Accordingly, the instant invention was developed in order to facilitate the use and handling of a thermal insulative cover which is equally adaptable to covering the exposed surfaces of ice rinks, ski jumps, curling rinks, luge runs, bobsled runs, and toboggan runs.